Has Benioff/Weiss Move To Star Wars Killed “CONFEDERATE?”

We quickly gave you the newsthat David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are moving to the movies when GAME OF THRONES concludes in 2019. It is not just any movie offer though it is the epic Star Wars saga, but that all leads to the question we didn’t mention. What does that mean for CONFEDERATE?

They stated, “We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.” But, we have been reporting the words of HBO programmer Casey Bloys that the duo was to commence with the alternate history story called CONFEDERATE. The controversial tale was to show that the southern states have successfully seceded from the Union, giving rise to a nation in which slavery remains legal and has evolved into a modern institution. The story would follow a broad swath of characters on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Demilitarized Zone – freedom fighters, slave hunters, politicians, abolitionists, journalists, the executives of a slave-holding conglomerate and the families of people in their thrall.

Now that series is in limbo or killed completely. We had to know with the look at what Benioff & Weiss were putting out season after season about the acclaimed and massive fantasy series they helm that they would be in hot demand. And we also can’t criticize them for wanting to step up to the big screen, especially in the famed franchise they are set for. In order to pull off the colossal feat of a movie of that caliber, and perhaps more than one, there is no room to also spearhead a TV show.

So what happens to CONFEDERATE? I suppose they could serve as executive producers of the project which would include approving key elements of the show. But they will not be showrunners or even writers for the series, not with The Force controlling their actions. We don’t know about rights legalities but if HBO believes that strongly in the concept could it be saved and developed by others for the cable giant?

The whole CONFEDERATE project burst out at us kind of haphazardly to begin with. The announcement itself was quickly regretted by HBO for the way it was presented. It was not well-constructed, well-timed or well received. Once the series was then called out as inappropriate and unwise in our current social climate, it might have caused second thoughts for Benioff & Weiss. We will have to see now if the series is truly dead or shopped out to someone else and whether HBO, via Bloys, will make an official announcement.

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Jef Dinsmore

Editor at Large of HBOWatch.com and the internet's foremost HBO expert.

Has HBO commented on Benioff and Weiss’ commitment to “Star Wars?” I couldn’t help but wonder how they feel about Benioff and Weiss committing to a big project like that. I know they don’t work for HBO solely, but with the previous news of “Confederate,” it seemed like HBO liked their work and wanted to keep them around. Do you think Weiss and Benioff might write another show for HBO someday, or might their relationship have soured with HBO?

No, I have not seen any official comment regarding the matter. It is not a surprise to me. HBO doesn’t often make noise about a project that got away and I don’t suspect they will about a producing team either.

Again, whether CONFEDERATE is dead all depends on who has the rights to the concept, HBO or Benioff/Weiss. As to the likelihood of the team returning to HBO and have to say that “Star Wars” is going to be all-consuming for as many years as they are at it. Returning to HBO with something would be far off.

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